The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-02
THE OBLIGATORY SERMON, BY REV. h. T
SLOAN.
Delivered in the New House OF Wor.
ship OIL the First Sunday in No.
yenhcr. 1856.

Tc will 30 into His tlhrrnaclrs: we will worship
at his fn0iSto" Arise. o L"rd into thv rest: thou
md the ark Of thy strength" Psalm 1872: Ith and
Sth verses
The Ark of the Covenant was the symbol OF
Divine presence both under the tabernacle
and temple service. Yet IT, had been migra.
tory, carried from place TO place, according to
the varying fortunes of the tribes OF Israel.
David piouSly lonGed To find n fixed. abiding
, place for il, and sulcmnly vowed to God that
he would not do certain things, until the de-
sire of his heart had been accomplished.
The place was selected for him and he i'm
mrdintriy set about pcrfOrmn" his VOW. Nor
would he accept II aS y frco-wil offering from
thn owner. He would not offer to- God tha I
which cost him nothing. lie paid the full
price, and set about the work. This accom-
rlishc,i, and he invited Jehovah to come into
il and said, ave will go into his tabcrnacIcS
we will worship at his in"tSto"l. Arise, q
Lord. into thy rest: thou and the ark OF thy
strength" prthclcSS, God Is moi confined
TO place. lie is everywhere. "Am Il God ut
hand, and not II God afar Off? Do not ] fill
heaven and earth, saith the Lord" Nor are
his gaciouS Influences circumScribcd by times
or scas6sS or cnnSrcraicd Shrnrs. like the 10
,ll and imaginary Dciiics of the hoathcn.
Yet his solemn promise is, that ain all places
where | rrco"h my name, VIII come unto
thee and will bless thee
This promise, we plead to-day, rs Ills name
Is now recorded here.
Christ also told the woman Of Samaria, 9Th"
time comctll and now IS. when neither in this
lnOunI:ln nOr NtN db JtIlSdtICiil, IL
worship the Father: but in every place, he
that fparcth God and wOrkcth righteousness,
is accented of IIim"-mcaning that IT, was no
longer confined to sacred places. The field
he's become tho world. and the grca: commits
sion cO-cN Intensive with it. "tio Se INTO all the
world and preach the gospel to every Great
urc."
God having reserved To himself onc-scvcnth
portion of time, to bc entirely spent in the
public and private exercises OF his worship,
except so much aS is to br tlkrn up IN the
works of necessity and mercy, he has also
appointed and hnnurrd places To hc Kept Sl-
cred for that purpoSc-aS the Il! t.rS. iahrrnn-
Gle, temple, synagogue, proScuchh and en- Is
iitn church. where congregations of d"fout
wOrShiprrS have ever met to do him nonnr
and To receive blessings upon their souls. IL
is Il place set apart from Il common to holy
use for The worship of the one true and llNing
God. My house shall he called n house or
PRAYER for all people" How reasonable Then
is JChovah's claim To our worship? or to thc
worship and service Of ;lll his rational Great
urcS! We owe it, To him as our creator.
prrScrvcr kind and constant h"ncfIctor, and
ls our Lord and Itcdccmcr. He has made IL.
alike our most sacred duty and highest rriVi:
lego. Verify, "ThOu shalt worship the Lord
thy God ANA him only shalt thou serve. We
owe it to him, in view OF what he iS, of what
he has done for us, and OF those holy relations
which we now sustain to him. Hence the re-
joicings of Gods people when it is said unto
them, "I.ct us 20 unto the house of the Lord.
SO come, let us worship and bow down; let
MS kucc before the Lord our maker 1--WE
will 20 into lis tabernacles; we will worship
at his footstool."